Elinati Kanzunguzeni

Community-Based Poultry Technician

MALAWI

“I am in no doubt that I will continue with this work.”

Elinati Kanzunguzeni is one of the more motivated of the community based poultry technicians who have been trained under a project in Malawi managed by KYEEMA. Elinati was one of two people selected by her community at Kaphatika Village in the district of Ntchisi to undergo training by the National Rural Poultry Centre in Malawi. The NRPC is an affiliate of KYEEMA and is conducting a project there, funded through the GRM Communities 1st program, to improve rural livelihoods in malawi through village poultry.

We spoke to Elinati to find out more about her life and what she has experienced in this work. Elinati is a single mother with two children of 6 and 9 years. Before the project came to her village, there was no vaccination against Newcastle disease. In those days, people didn’t have the wherewithal to get the vaccine which could have prevented serious losses. They simply became accustomed to the occasional epidemic once or twice each year, which would wipe out most of the chickens in their flocks within a week or two.

When following her training, Elinati began vaccinating chickens, she didn’t know what might eventuate. Now she is in no doubt. She told us that the villagers were very happy with the effectiveness of the vaccine and were pressing her for more. She herself is very happy, not only because she can vaccinate her own chickens but also because her work vaccinating chickens in her village gives her a small income from the vaccination fee. She wasn’t very specific but she assured us she appreciates the income which she spends on her home and family.

We were pleased to learn that she was not fazed by the prospect that we might soon not be present to give support. Often, beneficiaries become too dependant on support – not in this case!